Attitude Adjustment: 7 Women Challenging Wellness Norms

Health trends can be fickle: For every renewed SoulCycle membership, there’s a Shake Weight sitting unused in a closet. And, it doesn't help that it can be almost impossible to separate new trends from passings fads. But, there are always a few voices that can be trusted — the experts making a splash without leaning on gimmicks. It's those revolutionists that we're paying tribute to today in this latest installment of Beauty Nation: The New Provocateurs.

We joined forces with the tastemakers over at Revlon to spotlight seven wellness experts whose advice is truer than that old “apple a day” adage could ever be. And, we're getting them to dish on everything from what it takes to run five marathons in five days to how you can better love yourself and your body (and we're not just talking figuratively, here). These women are nothing short of radical — and could reconstruct everything you think you know about health, sex, and beauty. Read on, and you might end up changing much more than just your workout routine.

Robin Arzon

Five years ago, if you had asked Robin Arzon to run a marathon, she would have laughed in your face. And, yet, last spring, she ran five — that's 130 miles — across Utah in just five days. But, for Arzon, running isn’t about the finish line. It’s about the strength, effort, and swagger it takes to get there.

Although her total-badass look might suggest otherwise, Arzon used to be a corporate lawyer. Back then, running was just a form of stress relief. Now, it’s the basis for her blog called SHUTUPANDRUN, a resource for athletes who thrive on the community camaraderie of the running world. Through her writing and coaching, she’s challenging women to rethink the possibilities of movement — and what they can learn about themselves by pushing their bodies to the limit. Her motto: "Do epic shit." That’s advice we could all stand to follow, on and off the running track.

Why I want other women to believe in the power of sweat
“A lot of fitness messaging for women is wrapped in pink or fitness light — and if that makes it accessible for some people, that’s fantastic — but I believe in unlocking passions through movement. For women, it’s a really powerful statement to run the same course as some of the fastest men in the world. It’s disruptive. For example, I'll show up for a 50-mile race with four finger rings and red lipstick and winged eyeliner on, and they’re like, "Who is this chick?" All I have to say that is "you’ll see me at the finish line." Your personal story might be different, but whenever you’re doing things outside your comfort zone, that’s really powerful. You allow others to believe in their own powers, too, when you lead the way and pay it forward.”

What it takes to cross the finish line
“I think that you are reborn after every finish line. That’s why my departure from law was a no-brainer — once I found this passion, I felt like I was leading a double life. Sure, it feels like jumping off a cliff into the unknown, but I think risking failure is one of the most important things people need to do, and so far so good. When I’m running long distance, it’s more emotionally taxing than physically uncomfortable. I’m either telling myself I’m Beyoncé — who’s my spirit animal — or thinking about why I’m doing this. I run to raise money for multiple sclerosis, because my mom has MS. And, for me, endurance racing really parallels life in that there are so many moments when you’re like, I can’t do this, but then you look back with 20/20 vision and you’re like I am stronger than anyone could ever imagine. I like to raise the bar and meet it, and raise the bar and meet it again. There's no finish line anymore; it's just my life.”

Why I never sacrifice style for sweat
“I am a living mashup of sport and fashion and culture. A lot of folks in the fashion world aren’t necessarily tapping into their fitness side and a lot of those in the fitness realm aren’t really tapping into their fashion side. I like to think that I’m a living example of being able to do both. It’s always about looking good to feel good — showing up for victory. I want people to feel unapologetically themselves. I want to make that statement, especially in the athletic realm, that you can look good and feel good and not give a shit about what anyone thinks.”

What beauty means to me
“On a very real note, beauty means owning the pens of the story that you’re writing — we tell stories through movement, actions, thoughts, and the things we tell ourselves and others. Really owning that story is beautiful. But, on a personal level, I love to mix up my makeup. I might use a different color eyeliner, or instead of a bold eye, I might go for a bright-red lip. Accessories are everything to me. I might go from door-knocker earrings to a beaded headband I got in Brazil. Rings, earrings, headbands, and the colors of what I wear change all the time. But, my power color is red. There’s just something that makes me feel really fierce in the color red.”